Internal combustion engines, and particularly diesel engines, may use a block heater to pre-heat the engine block in cold weather. The vehicle may sense a temperature of an engine coolant to determine the appropriate start parameter settings to apply to the internal combustion engine. The various start parameter settings may include, but are not limited to, a starter cutout time, an engine running threshold, an initial idle torque, a post start glow plug time, a turbine protection wait time, a start torque, an engine timing, or a fuel injection rate. However, the temperature of the engine coolant is not always indicative of engine friction at start. For example, an extreme difference in temperature between the engine coolant and an engine lubricant, i.e., engine oil, may exist when the block heater is engaged. The colder temperature of the engine lubricant increases the engine friction of the internal combustion engine at start, thereby affecting the various start parameter settings.